# Did Shaquille O'Neal say something racist about that Chinese guy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 10, 2003, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-shaquille-oneal-say-something-racist-about-that-chinese-guy/147777 "2003-01-10T17:35:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-shaquille-oneal-say-something-racist-about-that-chinese-guy/147777/1 "2003-01-10T17:35:10Z")
I heard on the radio this morning that Shaq said something racist toward that Chinese basketball player. Something like, “You can tell [Chinese player’s name], ‘Ching chong [etc.].’” These morning deejays are not known for their accuracy, but for their high jinks. So did Shaq say it? What did he actually say? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-shaquille-oneal-say-something-racist-about-that-chinese-guy/147777/2 "2003-01-10T17:58:57Z")
You mean Rocket’s Center Yao Ming? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-shaquille-oneal-say-something-racist-about-that-chinese-guy/147777/3 "2003-01-10T18:03:55Z")
I don’t follow basketball. There’s something about a seven-foot Chinese guy who’s supposed to be a sensation. Whatever team Shaq is on is supposed to play whatever team the Chinese guy is on. “Yao Ming” sounds familiar. ---
**Author:** ![Zagadka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zagadka/32/7272_2.png) [@Zagadka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zagadka)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-shaquille-oneal-say-something-racist-about-that-chinese-guy/147777/4 "2003-01-10T18:05:57Z")
Which morning show? 🙂 A simple check [NBA - National Basketball Association Teams, Scores, Stats, News, Standings, Rumors - ESPN](http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/index) revealed (in the pay section): > [@](#): > > Shaq under fire for Yao-bashing So yes. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-shaquille-oneal-say-something-racist-about-that-chinese-guy/147777/5 "2003-01-10T18:16:28Z")
Apparently, you have to sign up to be able to read it. What did Shaq say? ---
**Author:** ![Zagadka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zagadka/32/7272_2.png) [@Zagadka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zagadka)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-shaquille-oneal-say-something-racist-about-that-chinese-guy/147777/6 "2003-01-10T18:21:17Z")
_shrugs_ Who is gonna pay the friggin’ Go network for something they can read in the newspaper tomorrow… or read at a better site? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-shaquille-oneal-say-something-racist-about-that-chinese-guy/147777/7 "2003-01-10T18:32:28Z")
The player in question is Yao Ming, who is 7’5" and a tremendously talented player to boot. The story isn’t being reported on any sports news site I can find, which suggests it’s not true. ---
**Author:** ![Tree\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9dc877/32.png) [@Tree\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tree_Boy)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-shaquille-oneal-say-something-racist-about-that-chinese-guy/147777/8 "2003-01-10T18:34:05Z")
Basically Shaq mimiced the stereotype sounds of the Chinese language (Ting pong wong ahsoo etc.) in a lighthearted attempt at humor. Obviously, it isn’t going over very well with the audience… ---
**Author:** ![SoulSearching](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@SoulSearching](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoulSearching)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-shaquille-oneal-say-something-racist-about-that-chinese-guy/147777/9 "2003-01-10T18:36:01Z")
illiterate monkeys say the darnest things ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-shaquille-oneal-say-something-racist-about-that-chinese-guy/147777/10 "2003-01-10T18:53:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SoulSearching \* > \*\*illiterate monkeys say the darnest things \*\* This is just sarcasm, right? Ha, ha, comment on the racist behavior of somebody by making a racist comment? I hope so… ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-shaquille-oneal-say-something-racist-about-that-chinese-guy/147777/11 "2003-01-10T18:56:08Z")
“illiterate monkeys say the darnest things” Woah Howard! That might be interpreted as a bit more racist than you intended. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-shaquille-oneal-say-something-racist-about-that-chinese-guy/147777/12 "2003-01-10T19:07:01Z")
According to the article on ESPN, Shaq has been trash talking Yao Ming in the press. One statement to a reporter was "Tell Yao Ming, ‘ching-chong-yang-wah-ah-soh.’ " in a mock Chinese accent. ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-shaquille-oneal-say-something-racist-about-that-chinese-guy/147777/13 "2003-01-10T19:12:30Z")
Hard to tell … **SoulSearching** _is_ from Georgia, after all … 🙂 (I’m being sarcastic …) ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-shaquille-oneal-say-something-racist-about-that-chinese-guy/147777/14 "2003-01-10T19:23:53Z")
And we all know how well that “Sacramento Queens” joke went over (especially after they ownzored the Lakers). ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-shaquille-oneal-say-something-racist-about-that-chinese-guy/147777/15 "2003-01-10T19:36:35Z")
I suspect that, if Shaq said anything about Yao Ming, it’s because he’s angry about the All-Star voting, in which Yao Ming is whipping Shaq, largely because of Internet voting from Asia. Obviously, that’s no excuse for Shaq, who owes Yao Ming a serious apology. But if he DOES resent the All-Star voting, he’s quite right. Yao Ming has had a few very good games, has shown a lot of progress (far more than I expected), and may one day deserve to be mentioned with the best centers in the NBA. But right now, he’s not one of the best, and it’s ridiculous that he should be the starting center for the NBA West. ---
**Author:** ![Lenny\_Carl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9dc877/32.png) [@Lenny\_Carl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lenny_Carl)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-shaquille-oneal-say-something-racist-about-that-chinese-guy/147777/16 "2003-01-10T20:03:17Z")
This actually happened **four** months ago. No one batted an eye when this story first came out, but now that Yao is beating Shaq is the All-Star voting (it’s kinda hard to get votes when suddenly, there are 1 million new voters all voting for the same guy), the media suddenly decided to bring this up again - in an attempt (I would guess) to portray Shaq as a jealous bigot. Bottom line: Yes, Shaq said those things, but he almost always speaks to the press with tongue firmly in cheek - as was the case this time. Shaq is not some stupid, un-media-savvy guy. He’s knows what he’s doing. He was joking. ---
**Author:** ![RiverRunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/977dab/32.png) [@RiverRunner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RiverRunner)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-shaquille-oneal-say-something-racist-about-that-chinese-guy/147777/17 "2003-01-10T20:17:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lieu \* > \*\*“illiterate monkeys say the darnest things” > > Woah Howard! That might be interpreted as a bit more racist than you intended. \*\* Gee, I hope it isn’t racist. My dad used to call me a monkey all the time when I was growing up. RR ---
**Author:** ![squid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@squid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squid)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-shaquille-oneal-say-something-racist-about-that-chinese-guy/147777/18 "2003-01-10T20:45:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lieu \* > \*\*“illiterate monkeys say the darnest things” > > Woah Howard! That might be interpreted as a bit more racist than you intended. \*\* Howard Cosell. Right? I got it.😃 ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-shaquille-oneal-say-something-racist-about-that-chinese-guy/147777/19 "2003-01-10T21:05:26Z")
Well as far as all-star voting, look at the idiots that vote. In the east, Vince Carter in #1. He’s been out most of the season with a papercut! I bet Grant Hill is second. ---
**Author:** ![squid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@squid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squid)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-shaquille-oneal-say-something-racist-about-that-chinese-guy/147777/20 "2003-01-10T21:28:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by World Eater \* > \*\*Well as far as all-star voting, look at the idiots that vote. In the east, Vince Carter in #1. > > He’s been out most of the season with a papercut! > > I bet Grant Hill is second. \*\* Didn’t Magic Johnson get voted all-star one year while injured the entire 1st half of the season? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-shaquille-oneal-say-something-racist-about-that-chinese-guy/147777.md?page=2)